Odd & Ends

Soccer is over! YEAH! Kaden really did make vast improvements over the short season - thanks to the help of the dreaded bribe/reward system.

On the Attack (Kaden is in the center wearing his blue jersey). If it seems that he not moving very aggressively or that his feet are made of concrete, then this correctly depicts how the season went. Difficult to watch at times. But he still loved it.

"Oh you go ahead and get it. Don't let me get in your way." Kaden (#20) seemed to be a little too kind and timid out there on the field. Occasionally, you could see a fire lit in him near the end of the season - sparked by the enticement of a Littlelest Pet Shop horse I bought (yes, from the girl's section). Once he got fired up, he was incredible to watch and the crowd was amazed to see him come alive. He even got a near goal - we're counting it. Oh, what a little bribery can do.

He gets to play with some of his good friends from the Columbia Basin ward from school. His mom is most excited to have him play with boys for a change. No offense to his little girl friends, which I do love too.

We found out we are grandparents. Apparently our dog has fathered some puppies. I have been nagging Brad to get him "fixed" since he works with the vet about once a week. But needless to say, that didn't get done. Probably because Ringo throws up in the back of the pickup everytime he goes for a ride (must be from my side of the family). After Brad took the boys to "check cows" and meet the new puppies, Kaden was eager to tell me all about it and how cute the puppies were. Then as he was walking out of the room I heard him say to himself, "I didn't even know Ringo got married?!"

I try not to get attached to our animals...since we live on the farm and therefore I accept the likelihood that they will not be with us long. But I love my dog. Brad searched him out on the internet about 2 years ago and found him in a pound. He's supposed to be a cow dog, but he hates the cows and just loves to lie around and play with the kids (my kind of dog). This is a terrible picture but that's what I found in the files. Love you Ringo.

Brandt enjoying a hay ride at our neighbor's pumpkin patch. Thanks G'pa Hatch!

Kaden loved paiting his pumpkin this year. They ask every year if they can paint them. Like any good mom, I found some way around it in year's past since I wanted my front porch to look nice with a beautiful fall theme and ribbon wrapped around the pumpkins. But this year, I gave in and let them ruin the front porch with their terrible painted pumpkins - which they think are awesome. Whatever.

Brandt loves his Hotwheels. We do regular searches for missing cars, especially before bed (they make great sleeping partners apparently). Often as we are running errands, I hear him celebrating when I have passed other cars on the freeway. He thinks I am the fastest race car driver - and I don't find myself setting him straight either. But he did let me know that our car was missing a "fin" to be cool and that I needed to buy one. It took me a while to figure out what he was talking about...how does a 4 year old know more about cars than me?

Macey is getting big much too fast (5 months now). She has entered the rapid rolling stage. And I am finding that she is very fond of her mother....which I am not sure is such a good thing. She has a dorky little laugh and loves to smile. She also loves to stare with her big eyes, which can become uncomfortable at times. She continues to slobber and vomit all the time and drenches herself and others on a regular basis. I was standing near a little girl at the Halloween carnival last night and Macey hit her with some vomit. She was not a pleased little witch to have vomit all over her arm. Of course my laughter probably didn't help anything. Macey is drinking soy now (after many different tries with formula) and so it smells pretty ronchy. Good thing she is so cute!